Hawkeye's death and Margaret's pain
by Paulina'sHM
Summary: Hawkeye dies and we see how his widow copes with her loss.


**Disclaimer: **I think everyone knows by now that I do not own MASH. I hope you enjoy this story. It's sad, but thoughtful.

I want to dedicate this story to anyone who has ever lost a loved one.

**Hawkeye's death and Margaret's pain**

He died on August 20 1970. He had a heart attack. He'd never liked eating healthy food, despite being a doctor. Maybe this was because he had wanted to enjoy food after Korea. The surviving members of the 4077th found out about his death through his wife and their 17-year-old daughter, Mary. No one knew how to respond. Colonel Blake had died and Frank had also passed on a few years before. No one knew what to say or do for the widow and her daughter. BJ and his family went to Crabapple Cove for a week to help the Pierce family deal with the funeral arrangements. They were in too much pain to do it alone. His widow, Margaret Houlihan-Pierce, kept recalling the events on the day of his death in slow motion.

- o – o -

"Hawkeye, what are you doing now?"

"Margaret, I'm just mowing the lawn. It hasn't been done in over three weeks. If the grass grows anymore, no one will be able to see the house!" He was smiling and joking as always.

"Ok, just make sure you keep it as quiet as you can. Mary has exams tomorrow and she's studying. She really wants to do well. Maybe she gets the motivation from her father."

"She probably does, but her mother's determination is in no way less."

Margaret smiled. She loved her husband so much. He was also a fantastic father. No matter what was happening, if Mary needed to be taken somewhere he would do it. He loved his 'little girl' so much.

Just as she got lost in her thoughts, the lawn mower stalled. She looked up and her husband was on the floor. "Hawkeye! What's wrong! Tell me!" He simply grabbed his left arm.

"Oh my God, a heart attack! Mary, call an ambulance! Ok, I've gotta start CPR." Margaret calmed herself down and began to revive him. As she did this Mary came out.

"Mum, I called. What's wrong with Dad?"

"He's had a heart attack I think. I'm trying to keep him alive until the ambulance arrives."

"Hawk, can you hear me? You'll be ok." Margaret was crying.

"Margaret… I'm gonna die… Get Mary now…"

"You're not dying!"

With his last ounce of energy, he said. "Get her now please."

Margaret called her daughter to her father's side. "Dad, what is it?"

"Mary, I want you to get into medical school. Work hard and on graduation, have a martini in my memory. A very dry martini."

"Ok Dad, whatever you say." Mary agreed only because she didn't think that her father was about to die.

At that moment the ambulance arrived.

"Margaret, I love you. Take care of our daughter. Make sure she has a happy life. Please have a happy life yourself." With that, Hawkeye closed his eyes and passed on.

- o – o -

The entire town and the people of the 4077th attended Hawkeye's funeral. BJ grew out his moustache as much as he could for the occasion and delivered the eulogy for his friend. For Margaret, the funeral was a blur. She didn't remember anything except seeing Hawkeye's peaceful face in the open casket. She would never find someone like him. She never wanted to. She wanted to die alone there and then, but she had Mary to take care of. She had strength left in her to keep living.

She never cried for Hawkeye, she never felt the need. He knew how much she had loved him and she knew that he was watching over her, seeing and feeling that love.

The people of the 4077th always called her and BJ took it upon himself to take care of the Pierce-Houlihan family. He was there when Mary graduated and drank that martini and he was there when she graduated medical school. Margaret was grateful that her daughter had a connection with her father through BJ. She was grateful for her daughter because if she hadn't existed, Margaret would have died of a broken heart. Her heart was still broken, but it was slowly mending. However, there would always be a scar. The pain would never completely go away, she just learnt to live with it.

- o -

I know the story was a bit sad, but I felt that I needed to write something like this. I hope you liked it and I hope it does justice to everyone who has lost someone.


End file.
